Every year about this time, it seems, the Boston Red Sox go into a mid-summer funk that brings out the crisis police and sets the alarm bells ringing as the trading deadline nears.

Well, the trading deadline is here today, and last night the sports media was on high alert as the Manny Ramirez trade watch kicked into high gear.

It’s just that while the media was doing due diligence, the Red Sox weren’t. Almost as if they’ve been distracted by The Saga, they went out and stunk out the joint yet again, getting swept by the Angels in a 9-2 Fenway loss.

It was their ninth straight loss to Anaheim but also gave them five losses in their last six games to that team and the Yankees, two of the best in the majors.

The Red Sox are supposed to be on that level, too, but their play of late has been so alarming, especially after committing four errors while making enough boneheaded decisions to last them a month.

In fact, in this month, leading up the today’s deadline, the Sox have gone 11-13, by far their worst performance under Terry Francona.

“It seems to run a pattern around here where ... we sputter,” Francona said. “It’s happened before and then we collect ourselves and move on and play well. I certainly hope that’s the way we go now. When you have some of the things that happened this week and then they coincide with losing some games, it kind of gets a life of its own. Every time you win nothing seems as bad. That’s for me, too.”

Yet, Francona’s door was closed tight after this game; no doubt he was huddled inside with the Red Sox brain trust, trying to deal with “the situation.” Ramirez has become a royal pain, and the Sox are trying to do whatever they can to alleviate the problem. Now, no one is saying that Ramirez’s behavior is the reason for the sudden downturn, which leaves them three games behind the Rays and only one ahead of the Yankees, but they sure would like it resolved.

It’s not like they were thinking of Ramirez as they were playing horribly last night, but they are aware of what’s happening, and the unwanted attention that it’s bringing on them.

They won’t say it, but they want this situation to end. Last night the Sox were working a deal with the Florida Marlins and the Pittsburgh Pirates to trade Ramirez to Florida.

The Palm Beach Post reported that a deal had been agreed upon, the Marlins obtaining Ramirez for outfielder Jeremy Hermida, right-hander Ryan Tucker and two other prospects, but those players would be sent to Pittsburgh for outfielder Jason Bay and left-hander John Grabow. The Sox would also kick in some cash to Florida to cover some of Ramirez’s remaining $7 million on his contract. The Sox would also send two prospects to Pittsburgh.

Page 2 of 3 - The problem is that nothing the Sox do can replicate what Ramirez can do, or is capable of doing, but he wants out so badly that he’s telling anybody and everybody about it. According to ESPN Deportes, Ramirez said yesterday, “The Red Sox don’t deserve a player like me. During my years here I’ve seen how they have mistreated other great players when they didn’t want them to try to turn the fans against them.

“The Red Sox did the same with guys like Nomar Garciaparra and Pedro Martinez, and now they do the same with me. Their goal is to paint me as the bad guy. I love Boston fans, but the Red Sox don’t deserve me. I’m not talking about money. Mental peace has no price and I don’t have peace here.”

Ramirez did say that he didn’t expect to be traded.

Meanwhile, many are discounting the “interview,” because it was conducted by a reporter named Enrique Rojas, who doesn’t have the greatest reputation because of what players and others see as numerous false reports.

Last night, Alex Cora cited Rojas reports that had Miguel Tejada asking out of Houston and Jose Guillen out of Kansas City. Both players eventually denied those reports.

“To tell the truth,” said Cora, “take it (the interview) from who it’s coming from. I was kind of surprised when I read it.”

Asked if Ramirez was happy here, Cora said, “The last four years in that parade he was happy. Regardless of what happens, the guy has got to play.”

The problem is that Ramirez has affirmed a previous interview with Rojas, and he has told the Boston media that he wants out. This shouldn’t be something that affects the club, but, who knows?

“This is not the only team with distractions,” Cora said. “The Angels had distractions (picking up Mark Teixeira) two days ago and they still kicked our butt.”

Sox captain Jason Varitek said the club goes through this every year around trade time, but every year doesn’t involve a longtime veteran and a great slugger such as this, nor the strange nature with which he has comported himself over the last several weeks. “It’s out of our hands,” he said. “Even this year. This team needs to step past that and focus on playing baseball.

“But for this team to be good, we need to handle it in here (the clubhouse). I’m a believer in that.” The deadline, he said, “ends up magnifying things. If we’re playing great, it probably doesn’t seem like anything.”

True to form, though, the Sox aren’t playing great. In the last four years they’ve finished 14-12, 14-13, and 15-12 twice in July. In 2004 they went 21-9 in August, followed by 18-9, 9-21 and 16-13 Augusts through last season. They’re simply hoping they can follow suit and pick up the pace.

Page 3 of 3 - “Time will get us past that,” Varitek said of the deadline problems. “It can’t affect our play. That’s gonna take care of itself.”

Players, of course, know that they can’t be swept up in anything like this, even if it does involve Ramirez.

“It’s part of the business,” said Mike Lowell. “I’ve been involved in a lot of rumors and my teammates have been involved in a lot of rumors so I think people accept it. More times when they say you’re getting traded, you don’t.”

That, of course, could be the problem. The Red Sox are trying hard to unload this problem. If they can’t, there’s no telling what can happen over the final two months of the season. Both sides are over a barrel. Ramirez would happily accept a trade to Florida, close to his Fort Lauderdale home. It would be more of a two-month rental. He could then decline arbitration, enabling the Marlins to pick up two picks in next June’s draft (from the team that eventually signs Ramirez).

But if the Sox can’t make a deal, he’s forced to stay, waiting word on the $20 million option that the club almost certainly won’t pick up next season. They could then do the same as the Marlins: offer arbitration, which he’ll decline, and pick up draft choices. Or the Sox could trade him now and pick up established talent. But other teams are treading carefully with this malcontented misfit.

If he does stay, we’ll all find out if his influence actually disrupts the chemistry of a team that has gone temporarily, apparently, sour.

“I think right now we’re thinking that we have the team that we’re going to have,” said Beckett, who has now lost three straight and definitely can’t attribute that to a Ramirez influence.